Music has strange, unexplainable powers. Think about it... Music has the power to make you feel like dancing, make you feel sad, make you feel good, make you feel afraid, conjure up feelings of the first time you fell in love, and so much more. But can music actually make you smarter?
The Mozart Effect. That's what scientists are calling it. The profound effect that music can have on a young mind. In the lab, it has been proven that rats and humans achieve better results in memory tests and learning after listening to Mozart. That's right, Standford University researchers released these remarkable findings, and that's just the effect of listening to music. What about learning to play it?
There can be no doubt that learning to play a musical instrument can be a lot of fun as well as entertaining, but it is also great for your brain! And the best part is you are never too late to start. Improved dexterity, activation of both hemispheres of the brain, more creativity and clarity are only a few of the benefits of musical education. Quite simply put, music affects our physiological state. Now that is powerful information!
Most people nowadays have a musical instrument in their possession, but few play it regularly. Why is that? Is it a question of busy lifestyles? Or maybe a question of passive versus engaged entertainment (or edutainment), ie. movies and video games versus practicing an instrument. In any case, the internet is making a huge difference in the flow of information these days and music is certainly no stranger to the digital world.
However, it is quite surprising that there is a distinct lack of free information regarding how to read music notation (or sheet music as it is sometimes called). It is a skill that most serious musicians have and is a great place for the novice to begin. This skill is not particularly difficult to master, but it does require specific information and some practice and patience. With video and audio over the internet becoming quite commonplace, it seems logical to have a convenient, centralized location where one could learn the technique of music sight reading, lesson by lesson, at one's own pace such as the website How To Read Music Notes.
In Don Campbell's book, "The Mozart Effect: How Music Makes You Smarter" research has shown that listening to classical music such as Mozart can increase efficiency, relieve stress and calm hyperactive children as well as adults. Imagine what learning how to play an instrument can do!
Dino Giancola is a McGill University music graduate who currently writes music for television, film, games, theatre and circus. He is a 2011 Gemeaux nominated composer for Best Music Score in a Documentary. He believes strongly in music education for the young and old alike. You can listen to his music at Dinosound.com.
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